Good guy, sometimes for the wrong reasons?

So I try to be good, altho some of what I do is not out of concern for the enviorment or 'whats best' but purely on what I choose to spend.

My house has five incandescent lightbulbs, every other one is compact florescent.  4 years ago when I moved in I found a deal on on CF bulbs and bought a shiatload..  Made a game of it with my kids, paying them a buck for every 'old' bulb they could find..  Whats left is the:

• bulb in my fridge (and stove, but that's burnt out so it don't count)
• flame shaped lightbulbs in my dining room
• funky shaped bulbs in my bedroom hanging light and
• one basement light bulb I havnt changed yet (and the kids did not see)

I have had to replace two of the CF bulbs, due to breakage not burning out.  So that is pretty cool..

I have driven crap cars for the past 12 years.  Old 'beater' cars which I keep together with wishes, prayers and irregular emergency maintenance.  

• I have serious mental issues about taking on autoloan payments.  When I married my ex, we bought a used car that had a $330 a month payment.. Just for the car.  No insurance, no gas, no maintenance..  Our 'friendly' autoloan servicer would help us out each year with offers to skip a payment, or add to the balance with holiday money.. 
• It was supposed to be a 4 year loan, took 6 years to pay off that damn loan and I hated each and every payment I hand-delivered to those basteeds (if I maild em, no matter how early, it would somehow not be received until after the duedate, and they'd add fees)

So I drive inexpensive cars now but thats not so good for the enviorment.  I consistantly get crappy miles-per-gallon.  Drive rustbuckets which leak different automotive fluids like engine oil, antifreeze, and in a couple cases gasoline!  One had the gas lines rust out, and one basteed sold me a car with holes in the gastank!  I should have been more suspicious when on the testdrive the guy only put in about 3 bucks!

I have a push mower which I use to mow my lawn.  

While I get exercise and use me-power to mow, this is partly because my two previous gas mowers broke and I did not want to have to spend cash on repairs or a new power mower..  But it is partly because I want to have a smaller carbon footprint

• I live less than 5 miles away from where I currently work, purposely chose the location to save on my commute to work, equally to save money and the environment.
• I also purposely bought a smallish house (950sq feets) to save on heating and cooling

I haven't been able to break myself of the habit of not combining my shopping trips, and not making a list so I only have to go once a week, and not shopping 5 stores for grocery (looking for the best deals and hitting the discount food and bread stores)  I love to window shop and compare prices..

I updated my toilet..  Gone is the 5 gallon per flush beast, Welcome the 1.5 eco-flush wonder!  Also, its 'comfort height' so us old fogies can shiat, er sit.. comfortably...

Well, hope your spring is going well..  Have a great one!

New Years Resolution Update.. $40 a month savings.. $500 a year total..

So as part of my new years resolutions to reduce my expenses I lowered the cost of my TV Watching..  I had signed up for DishNetwork last year, and just lost my signup bonus of $15 off each month, and was not paying over $70 a month for their 200 channels..  Plus I occasional slipped in a couple red box rentals..  Maybe like 4-6 a month so lets say $10 a month

Was OK with the selection (more than I watched tho) and had canceled Netflix last year, wasn't watching much, their shenanigans (with pricing and splitting streaming and disc) pissed me off so I left for a while..

So I called Dish and asked about my options..  They told me about the welcome pack.  Had all the local channels and several that I did want like AMC and The History Channel.  I need my  Breaking Bad and Walking Dead.  Some of the best TV out there I thinks..

And my girl needs her Swamp People..  The best thing was that the welcome package was only $15 a month.  With the DVR (ability to record and watch recorded shows) we would have all the shows currently saved, and with adding back Netflix it would cost about $30 a month..  So all in all I saved more than $40 a month, about $500 a year.  I need to figure out a way to reward myself with these savings..  Think I will try to plug $20 of it somewhere.. My GF said she really liked having the reduced channels, a lot of the crap (like 40 channels of music) is gone. I just hope my kids will forgive me because they dont have the Disney channel or Nick anymore

I had had Comcast for years before, for internet and cable TV, with sometimes the internet phone..  I have never hated a company so much as I had that hive of skum and villainy that is Comcast..  They will lie in their promotional materials, on the phone, in person.  Promise refunds or credits for non-service, and when it does not happen, claim you are lying about their broken promise.  I actually made some money when I moved into my new house.  Comcast had to wire it and when they did they cracked the cement tile siding I had.  (They also missed the appointment a couple times, so I got $20 AND did not pay for installation) Working with their insurance company I got $1200 for the cracked siding (and just siliconed the cracks to make them waterproof) I had them for maybe 6 months, and when they promised their basic service (just local channels, and 10 or so more) would work without cable boxes to rent, and then did not, I dumped and switched to DirectTV.  Big mistake (not dumping Comcast, thats always the right move)

DT plays so many games..  Promised you low rates, but requires you do jump through hoops to get them..  For example, they require auto billing to get the promised rate.  Require you to send in paper coupons, each month, to get the promised rate..  Don't give you the promised rate and then lie and say they never promised any such rate..  I did my two years and dumped them.

Coming in Threes

So I did my weekly grocery shopping when I discovered something nasty and had to go back to the grocery store..  Found out that the pepperoni package had a microscopic hole, the pepperoni and was discolored and.. off..  So I jump in the car and head off..

ONE: Right before I make to the main street, a car pulls out in front of me, from a parking lot.  I had the right of way.  I understand that others have the right to drive on the same roads as I do, and I also know that you can do things like pull out of an alley or driveway WHEN THE WAY IS CLEAR, when your action makes another slow down to avoid hitting your lame ass, you made are in the wrong.  The light was a changing, and of course, the inconsiderate ass slowly approaches the intersection, makes it through but sadly, I was stuck at the light, forced to wait a cycle.  Signing deeply, I tried not to let it bother me..

TWO: A couple miles up the road, I was nearing the grocery store and a car in the right lane switched to the left in front of me, without signaling.  Grrrr...

THREE: So I get to my turn.  There is a left turn lane for me, and for the oncoming traffic that makes this intersection sort of a crapshoot.  Sometimes you cannot see if the way is clear until you pull put into the intersections, if someone is turning left coming the other way..  So my no-signaling friend is turning there and makes his or her turn.  When I get there 10 seconds later a couple cars are in the other left turn lane blocking my view..  I think its safe but edge up a little..  The there is a honking from behind me  I start to go and there is a farking car speed towards me!  Not sure if the guy was being an incompetent dick, not looking before trying to rush me along, or an asshat KNOWING there was a car and TRYING to make me get into an accident..

Lesson learned.  Check every damn item before you put it in your cart I guess.. 

Itsa brand new year!

Its a new year, chance for a redo.  I have been on this earth for 49 years come April and have made my mistakes, made my bed, need to lay in it,  That does not mean that I cannot chamge the linens, puff up the pillows..

Its also new year resolution time, time to make the yearly promises to start doing this, stop doing that. I am going to try to:

Spend my money more wisely, live within a budget, increase income with parttime job or small business.
Clean house, make it more livable, reduce the clutter and maybe make some cash selling some of it?
Eat better and less, stop the multiplate buffets, portion control, cut out the crap
Start using the gym at work, use the treadmill, weight training, try to increase flexibility.  
Become more marketable, increase my technical skills, be ready and able to switch jobs if something comes up
Be a better father to my children..
Lots to shoot for, sure.  But manageable I thinks..


Tomorrow I start a new role at work.  They wanted me to work 2nd shift, 2-11pm, but I could not do that full time, so I negotiated and got them to agree to have me work 2nd shift every other week.  It will suck having to changeup my schedule every other week but I will be able to still avoid becoming an 'everyotherweekenddad'.  I will be refreshing my workstation or desktop skills, despite my employers best attempts at just using me as unskilled labor..




We had a real light winter so far but NYE really smacked us in the ass..  Real snow with freezing weather to make it stick around. be got an inch of ice everywhere, slightly above zero temps..

Well hope your new year is going well..

Whats new

So my attempts at controlling my inner volcano has had mixed results.. Sometimes I can shrug, look the other way and go on with my life, ignoring the truly petty thing that really wasn't worth getting upset about in the first place, and othertimes.. 

• Asshat at teh Dairy Queen, there is an OBVIOUS line serving the two open windows, yer this guy just slithers up to one, ignoring those of us who are following the rules. He did not get his food before me or the other person he cut infront of, and it was fun when he stood there, and you could see the realization he cut as we scowled at him, and he writhed in embarrassment..

 

• Why do people misunderstand the concept of the turn signal.  It is to notify others of your intention to change lanes or turn right or left.  Other people use this information to decide what lane they should be in, to slow down, and other stuff. It is not common courtesy, it is the farking LAW to signal ONE HUNDRED FEET BEFORE not AT THE FARKING INTERSECTION!!!  When you fail to signal and drift into someones lane, YOU are in the wrong, and have NO RIGHT to flip off the person who honks at your clueless ass..

Shiat like that makes me want to slap a biatch!

Easier done than said:

I am always a little dumbfounded and embarrassed when I do something I should have done a long time ago and it really makes my life easier and was VERY little effort.  Case in point.  I have me one of them alarm clocks what shines a light on teh ceiling, and that light is in the shape of numbers and those numbers tell me what time it is.  Well for the longest time it was pointed in a spot that was right next to the wall.  I had to turn my head in a funny way or roll over to see the time.  It was aggravating.  I lived with it for many moons until one night I just grabbed the things, adjusted it slightly, focused it and then I could see the damn time whilst lying on my back!  WHY DIDN'T I DO THIS EARLIER I immediately thought.
Wiper blades in the car were leaving a streak when I used it, they needed to be replaced, but, daaammnn, it was work to buy the blades, then install..  After several treacherous rides where my vision was limited, I bought a set, and then installed em.. GOLLY GEE its nice to flick the switch and have CLEAN WINDERS!  Little later I was low on washer fluid, ran out..  SIgh, all that effort to purchase and fill the washer fluid (not really), but worth it..

Had some excitement..  First the power went out while I was napping..  Dont usually nap but did 3/12 and when I woke up about 5pm the fan was off, usually have it on when in the bedroom.  Then .noticed that the alarmclock was off too..  Came out and saw that EVERYTHING was off.  Didnt have the power companies #, so I tried googling it via text message on me phone but that didnt work, so I called my brother who lives a mile away and had him check (he had power)
Outage until 9pm they said.  But power came back within a hour, but the internet was out.  Called them and they said 9pm too..  Then noticed there were cop cars outside of the house, four of em, all with the lights off..  Had a couple of our neighbors in the back seats..  Then they blocked one side of the street, then the other, then 5 frigging firetrucks showed up.  Asked a cop and he said something suspicious was found and they were going to make sure it was safe..  Then the power went out again, but was back on within 20 minutes, and then the internet started working..
The cops were done about 1130, dont know what they found then, later found out that the dumbasses who lived there had a domestic (had a man-slap-fight, and when the popo responded they saw suspicious containers and needed to have it checked out..

Today’s Helpful Money-saving Hints: Ziplock bags and the Laser printer

 Ziplocks: love em.  Can get them at the dollar store for about 1 cent a bag.

 ·         I have a problem if I bring a large bag of snacks to work, I am a frigging pig.  I eat said snack in one sitting.  I use the baggies to make me own individual servings of snacks like cheese nibs, potato chips, or whatnot.  They stay fresh fer eva, and lower the cost from close to a buck a serving (from the demonic vending machines) to 25 cents..

·         I portion hamburger into the ziplocks, about 3/4ths of a pound in each bag.  Flattened and sealed it freezes fine.  I pop the bag into microwave for 2 minutes and its thawed, ready for whatev ya want, burgers, hotdish, chilli, ect.  The bonus is you are using less meat in your meals, so your dollars go further, and yer eating healthier.

·         All kinds of leftovers can go into the ziplock, soup, veggies, and the mind boggles.  While not perfect, when you portion the larger portions, it extends the storage of what you pack. 

* One note: I put some hotdish in a baggie, filled it a little full and froze it.  Had the dickens of a time reheating it..  Lesson learned, dont have it more than an inch thick.

Laser Printer: I wasted so much money on the inkjet.  Costs $25-50 for refill inks, so much waste..

·         Bought a black and while laser printer off of craigslist, best 45 bucks EVAR!  My kids (the teen) like to print crap like crazy..  I would grin and bear it when they would print page after page..  Acutely aware the high cost of ink!  When I want to use it, out of ink and off to the store!  When the 'cheap ink' kodak printer (90 bucks for the printer, 10 bucks a black cartridge) that failed on the 2nd cartridge I vowed never again!  6 months and I am still on the same toner cartridge, and I can buy em for like 20 off the intertubes

Work: I am an Information Technology worker, IT for short

·         Been working professionally in IT since 1995, thats 16 years.  I have always been one who liked and could figure out computers..

·         Funny thing is when I got out of the Navy in 1990 I did not think I had any job skills.  I was basically an Electronics Technician (my Navy training) but I had heard that you need technical training to get a job.  I pissed around with minimum wage jobs (parking lot attendant, one who marks the price on merchandise for a large department store, one who make the ticket that has the price)

·         My uncle Roy was a big fan of school, actually paid for me to go to school.  I went to a technical school for a certificate course in personal computers.  I am a little conflicted.  While I gained some knowledge from this school, I think I would be in the same place (or better) if I had not attended..  I got my first 'IT' job while in school, and this turned into that.  I did many different 'contract' jobs, 3 weeks to 18 months for about 5 years until I landed in my current job.

·         I am now a Systems Analyst for a newspaper.  I started as a hardware technician, fixing the PC's, Mac's and Printers.  Then I was software technician, loading the operating systems and software that ran on the PC's the newspaper used.  6 years ago I took a position where I support ad’s (getting em to us, building em, printing em)  I work with vendors whose systems we use.  I work with users in different departments.  Answer the helpdesk phone when I can..  Kinda of a systems valet.. 

·   Recently my employer informed me that I would be working 2nd shift at the start of the new year, from 2-11pm.  Now I am a single parent half of the time, and this is unacceptable.  I did manage to negotiate working every other week 2nd shift, but only as a trial, to see if it works..